BEIJING, July 11 (AFP) -
China has arrested several activists in the eastern province of Zhejiang including
members of an opposition party set up during US President Bill Clinton's recent
state visit, dissident sources said on Saturday.

The families of Wang Donghai and
Zhu Yufu told AFP that the two men had been taken by public security officials
from their homes for questioning on Thursday evening, but no reason was given
for the arrests.

On the same night, police raided the home of Wang Youcai and arrested him,
along with Wang Peijian,
Cheng Fan, Zhu Zhengming and a man and a woman whose names were unknown, the
New York-based Chinese Democratic Justice Party said in a statement.

Another dissident, Wu Gaoxin, was also taken away by police, who confiscated
papers and computers from several of the dissidents' homes, it said.

Wang Donghai, Wang Youcai and Lin Hui applied last month to set up a branch of
their underground party, the Chinese Democracy Party (eds: correct), legally.

Their application, the first to set up an opposition party since the communists
came to power in 1949, coincided with the visit to China by Clinton at the end
of June.

"As soon as the guest leaves, the tea gets cold," the Chinese Democratic Justice Party Statement said, adding that the
authorities had left the dissidents alone for the duration of the Clinton
visit.

Overseas Chinese dissident groups condemned Clinton's policy of engaging with
Beijing
on human rights following news of the detentions.

"What we said about President Clinton's policy of constructive engagement with
China was accurate, that the Chinese government will not work with the free
world to improve human rights, because they are a brutal communist dictatorship
who no respect for freedom, democracy or
human life," Lian Shengde, executive director of the New York-based
Free China Movement, said in a statement.

Although both President Jiang Zemin and Premier Zhu Rongji say they would like
to move towards democratic elections, they insist China will not be ready
for such a move for at least 50 years.

The government does not tolerate dissent and regularly imprisons those who
voice their opposition.